The wheels of hospitality wait for no man, woman or theys
It’s been a pretty mixed bag for hospitality news in the capital, with a couple of openers to brighten up the forecast interspersed between some truly sad closures and a planning permission threat of one of the city’s most beloved bakeries. No week in Dublin is ever uneventful, with some interesting comings and goings taking place in our capital:
OPENERS
The Pantry, The Swan Centre
We’ve always known the people of Rathmines were fond of a fat stack or two. Well-known Irish café The Pantry have opened up a new location in Rathmines, making it their fifth Irish branch opened this year alone. Their new location, in the Swan shopping centre, are serving up an extensive all-day breakfast and lunch menu, along with a very considerable drinks menu.
Açai Bar, Bray
While not technically in Dublin, we are willing to accept Bray as one of our own. Just in time for Summer, an Açaí bar has opened up on one of the seafront promenade kiosks. Serving up locally produced açaí bowls and newbs for the Irish market in the form of açaí cones and açaí lemonade, bubble tea and cold brew coffee by Two Fifty Square Coffee. Can’t forget about the dogs on the prom either, so there’s even a BowWow Açaí Bowl for pups! At the helm is Paolo Cafolla of the Cafolla family, who, over the last century in Dublin have become synonymous with hospitality, with the Cafolla ice cream parlours on O’Connell Street welcoming generations of Dubliners. Açai Bar Bray will be collaborating with yoga and wellness partners to bring you events such as Free Sunrise Yoga on the Bray Seafront in the coming weeks and months.
CLOSURE
Warehouse Food Market & Cafe, Harold’s Cross
Sad news out of Harold’s Cross today, with Warehouse Food Market & Cafe announcing its immediate closure. It operated as a shop, cafe and event space, and was a spot fully immersed in the community. The team have been a part of so many occasions in this community; marriages, Christenings, the passing of loved ones, work Parties, workout parties and everything in between. We have no doubt D12 locals will miss this place immensely.
Outcast Bagels, Stoneybatter
Just when we thought the bagel craze was finally hitting Dublin, one of the foremost bagel makers has announced they will be shutting up shop. Since 2021 Ben Heather and Jack Hitchcock have been slinging bagels and encouraging customers to get their hole (their tagline) from a converted shipping container in Baldoyle before it moved to beside Clarke City Arms pub in Stoneybatter. For many, the creatively named bagels sourced from Cork’s Fitzgerald’s Family Bakery kept a lot of people going through lockdown. Fans will be delighted to know that this is by “no means the end of Outcasts” instead it’s the “beginning of a new chapter for us”. With the team announcing plans to team up with 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚 and the famous Rafa, a master barista for over 10 years, to bring “something totally fresh” Dublin City streets. While it’s all a bit vague at the minute, the team have signalled that the saunas currently installed in the outdoor area of their Stoneybatter are a part of the “expansion plan”.
PLANNING THREAT
The Morning, Pleasant Place
The Morning Bakery, known for its freshly baked goods and speciality coffee, is once again under threat of demolition. Planning permission has been requested for the site to be demolished and replaced with, you guessed it, a tourist hostel. The 6-storey hostel will be host to 85 rooms, as well as a café/bar/co-working space and a gym available for guest use.
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READ ON: Outcast bagels to shut in Stoneybatter making way for ‘something totally fresh’
